


You Can Shake the World (In a Gentle Way)

by Rosefield



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: David Singh finds out Barry Allen is the Flash, Epilepsy, Gen, Hurt Barry Allen, Hurt/Comfort, POV David Singh, Seizures, Two Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-06
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-23 15:57:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17686550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosefield/pseuds/Rosefield
Summary: It took a second for Singh to see Allen, and when he did, his heart nearly stopped. There was Allen, no, Barry, because the young kid on the ground was, in that moment, Barry.Not still, but shaking, guttural sounds emitted from his mouth, arms clenching and un-clenching against his chest, with legs that banged rhythmically against the ground in some sick version of a metronome.Also Known As: The Day Barry Allen Really Should Have Stayed at Home





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi,  
> My first "FLASH" fic, done in two parts. Let me know what you think, the second part will be up tomorrow along with the final installment to Global Warming. Pleae tell me if you like it :)  
> Rose xx

Barry knew it was going to be a bad day the second he woke up. Not a bad day as in "Oh shit a meta-human is going to attack". No. This was an "I can feel a seizure coming and I have no idea when it will hit". It was the kind of day he would usually call in sick for. But Singh had him on the biggest case he'd ever been trusted with, a series of murders, all young me, all within a lock of each-other, and there was no way Barry was letting the opportunity pass. So, he dressed, ate a power bar in-lei of a normal meal in the hope that if a seizure hit the meal wouldn't make a reappearance. Joe and Iris were both gone by the time he made it to the door, and he slipped out, ignoring the faint feeling of dizziness that swirled in the back of his head.

By the time Barry made it to the building, he was sure that he was going to be fine. Or, at least, he tried to convince himself he was sure. He slipped through the back entrance, sure Joe would spot something off if he walked past the man who had been his father for the past 14 years. He had just settled at his desk when the Captain came in, a fresh case-file in his arms.

* * *

Singh crossed through the door to his chronically-late CSI's office, watched as Barry noticed him and stood quickly, chair spinning off behind him. The boy leapt to stop it, stumbled as he did so, but managed to halt its' path careening towards the chemical rack.  
"Sir, what can I do for you?"  
Singh paused for a moment, scrutinising him.  
"You alright Allen?" The boy looked too pale, slightly sweaty around the brow with circles under his eyes. It brought back bad memories of that night, the night Singh had heard the lightning crash, the sound of a thud from upstairs, raced there to find Barry dead- no. No. Not dead. Alive but barely breathing, hovering for nine months in a place neither here nor there. But the kid looked about as bad as he had then and Singh found himself needing the reassurance after having come so close to losing him once before.  
Allen smiled, grin lopsided and clumsy as the boy himself was. But there was something…off.  
"Fine sir."  
Singh hummed, suddenly reluctant to hand over the latest case file, but another man had been murdered and Allen was the best man for the job. "There's been another one. White, 22, at College to become a teacher. Same corner between Jones and Fifteenth as the first one." He offered the manila file, watching carefully as Allen stepped forward to take it. He didn't stumble, took it with a firm grip.  
"I want you downstairs and ready to go to the scene in an hour. Look over that, see what you think and then I want you back out there; one of the other CSI's was there earlier but I'm hoping you'll be able to get something he missed."  
Allen nodded and Singh turned to leave, resisting the urge to turn and check on the boy one last time.

* * *

Barry stared down at the case file in front of him, trying to decipher words from the squiggles that seemed to be moving below him. He licked his lips, but no moisture was produced. Water. He just needed some water, that would clear his head and this mouth wouldn't be so dry. Yep. Water. He stood, noticing for the first time a strange smell in the air. He looked around blearily, trying to figure out if the smell was coming from one of the numerous chemicals that was around the lab. He was sure he should know the smell, but his fuzzy head couldn't connect with what it was. He stumbled towards the water cooler, but each step became heavier and suddenly he was staring at the ceiling and his eyes were rolling widely and then…nothing.

* * *

Singh checked his watch, scowling. He and Eddie were waiting for Barry by the car, exactly an hour after he'd been upstairs, just like he'd said. But Barry was nowhere to be seen. When they'd continued to wait for another ten minutes, Singh was done.  
"I'm going to get him."  
Eddie nodded. "I'll come. I want to see his face when he realises he's late, again."

The two walked upstairs in step, Eddie stopping to pull the door open for his boss. It took a second for Singh to see Allen, and when he did, his heart nearly stopped. There was Allen, no, Barry, because the young kid on the ground was, in that moment, Barry. Not still, but shaking, guttural sounds emitted from his mouth, arms clenching and unclenching against his chest, with legs that banged rhythmically against the ground in some sick version of a metronome.  
"Holy shit."

Eddie's voice from behind him broke Singh out of his reverie. He shot forwards, falling to his knees by Barry, nimble fingers gently reaching for the restrictive buttons on his shirt. Eddie was next to him in an instant, the fabric of his balled-up jacket placed on the ground for Singh to slide beneath Barry's head.  
"I'll go get Joe."  
Singh nodded absentmindedly as his Detective went downstairs, focusing on the seizing kid in front of him. The seizure seemed to be slowing, he noted with relief, the end being punctuated by a strong smell and wet spot appearing on Barry's trousers. Singh grimaced with second hand embarrassment, reaching for his own jacket to provide Barry with a degree of privacy for when he woke up. Which, judging by the twitching in his face, was likely to be any second. Singh reached forward, tipped Barry on is side and gently patted his face.  
"Allen. Come on, wake up." Barry's face twitched again, and Singh repeated his call. Suddenly, the twitching in Barry's face spread and his head and neck were jerking, the motion quickly spreading until he was, once more, mid seizure. Words came to Singh's mind surfacing from his last first-aid course.

Status epilepticus.

He cursed, moved back slightly even as he tried to keep Barry in the recovery position. Seconds later, the door crashed open once more, Eddie and Joe practically falling through the door. Joe was by his side within seconds, keen eyes assessing the situation.  
"How long has he been seizing?"  
"I don't know, but he stopped and started again. We need to call an ambulance."  
"No."  
Taken aback, Singh allowed his hand to slip off Barry's shoulder.  
"What?"  
"No. We need to take him to STAR labs."  
"Joe, he's seizing, and we don't know why. He needs a hospital."  
"He's seizing because he's an epileptic and an idiot, and he needs to go to STAR labs."  
"That isn't in his file!"  
"I know, because you never would have taken him if he was was young as he was and a medical liability! Now stop arguing, and call Caitlyn Snow on my phone. Eddie, bring a car out front."  
Joe was more forceful than Singh had ever heard him, one hand coming to rest on Barry's neck, the other in front of his face, eyes locked onto his watch screen. Following an order he would have rather given, Singh dialed, explaining to a no-nonsense sounding woman what was happening as Eddie raced out the door.

"He's slowing." Joe called, breaking the calming mantra he'd begun in his adopted-son's ear. "When he's in status he usually breaks for less than two minutes so we'll need to move him quick."  
Joe was much too practiced for Singh's liking, but nevertheless he cleared the path to the door and as Barry slowed to a stop, Singh helped lift the lanky boy until he was settled in Joe's arms, once more covering his crotch with the jacket; it was going to be embarrassing enough for Barry to be carried, unconscious, past all his co-workers. Joe hurried towards the stairs, made his way quickly through the precinct past the stares and worried questions of cops that also remembered that night with clarity. Eddie was waiting on the curb, doors to the backseat open, engine running. Singh noticed when Barry's face began twitching once more, and hurried to take him from Joe, who settled in the backseat, passed the boy back as he himself slid in, letting Barry's legs come to a rest on his lap. Eddie peeled away from the curb and as Barry's seizure started back up with vengeance, Singh was left to wonder how his bad morning had gotten this much worse.

By the time they pulled up at Star labs, Barry had stopped and started seizing again, and a woman who Singh assumed was Caitlyn Snow was waiting with a wheelchair bound man, a kid Barry's age and a gurney. The doors were torn open and Joe and the young man worked Barry onto the gurney. The latest seizure, while not slowing, was weaker than the ones that had predeceased it. The only thing that was increasing was the moaning, gurgling sounds being emitted from Barry and the small pools of vomit being released periodically as the team attempted to keep Barry's airways from jamming up. Singh and Eddie jogged behind what appeared to be a well-rehearsed crew. Singh followed them, but felt as if he was miles away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi,  
> Thank you so much for the positive response to this. I'm sorry this part is short and not up to the standard of the first. I kind of lost what I had planned on doing with it. I hope you like it anyway and please, please let me know.   
> Rose  
> (Also, on the request of several reviewer's I have split some of the monster paragraphs from the first chapter. Hoe this makes it more readable).

Singh watched as the small team swung into action.   
Barry had once again begun seizing, weakly thrashing on the bed.   
“Cisco, push 20 mg midazolam.” Caitlyn Snow rushed around, setting up various monitors.  
“But the maximum dosage for benzodiazepines shouldn’t exceed 10-”  
“Thawne shut up! Cisco, you know the drill, do what I tell you. He’ll burn through it too quickly if you give him the registered dose.”  
Singh found himself regretting not following his gut and taking the boy straight to the hospital, it seemed the care at the current venue was less than professional.  
But Joe wasn’t panicking, looking on with only worry, and not at the ministrations. The boy, Cisco, followed the orders of Snow, and the wheelchair bound man Singh had realised could be none other than Dr Wells, watched on. It took just seconds of the medication being administered for the seizures to slow.

Singh watched as the room collectively breathed a sigh of relief, before Eddie spoke up.  
“What the hell just happened.  
Joe stepped forward, hands placating. “Eddie…”  
“No. I just watched the CSI from upstairs seize for what must have been nearly an hour, and instead of taking him to a hospital like any normal people, you insisted he come here, to the lab that caused an explosion that nearly killed him. And then they gave him what even I could tell you was too much of a drug. And you want to know the kicker? It looks like it’s worked!”

And Singh had to agree there because Snow was working to get an oxygen cannula set up and fluids running through the IV and it was the sort of thing that would only happen if the seizures weren’t likely to restart.   
“Eddie, you need to-”  
“I Don’t need to do anything except have someone tell me exactly what the hell just happened.”  
It was then Joe took proper notice, for the first time, of the heart monitor that had begun to display a steady beat. But the steadiness wasn’t the thing that got Singh’s attention. It was the speed. According to the machine, the kid’s heart was beating at 1500 beats a minute.  
Singh stepped forward, in that moment, a Police Captain.   
“West, you will tell us what is going on. Now.”  
Snow looked up, making eye contact with the detective. “Joe, I think they need to know.”  
Joe nodded. “Yeah. I guess they do.”

It was nearly two hours later that Barry Allen, who Singh had been told was, apparently, Central City’s very own Flash, began to wake. As his eyes began moving under closed lids, Joe watched at Caitlyn Snow checked his vitals. His very, very unusual vitals. Joe watched anxiously. He’d spoken to Singh and Eddie for over an hour, explaining that when Singh had found Barry _that_ night, he’d already been mutating beneath the hands that held him. He’d told them stories that explained the chronic lateness, the mysterious injuries that seemed to appear and disappear overnight. He’d explained the mutations that sped Barry’s heartbeat’s and metabolism. And the strangest part was that Singh believed him. Cause suddenly everything that had happened started to make sense. He turned back to Barry, watching as he began groaning slightly.   


It took only minutes after the first signs of life to come from Barry that he fully awoke. He went from out to up in a matter of seconds, shot up so suddenly he narrowly missed headbutting Cisco as he did so.   
“Woah, calm down bud.” Joe had crossed to Barry’s side in seconds. “You’re at Star Labs.”  
Eyes wild, Barry searched Joe’s face before settling back onto the gurney, and his eyes fluttered closed again.  
“How bad?” He mumbled, voice hoarse.   
“Pretty bad, bud, looks like the med’s aren’t working.”  
“Never did. Just never seized often, even before. You’know that Joe.” Joe sighed, running a hand through Barry’s hair.   
“Yeah. I know.”  
“Who saw.”  
Joe stayed silent.  
“Joe.”   
“Open your eyes again kiddo.”  
Barry’s eyes shot open, and he scanned the room, eyes widening when they landed on Eddie, who rested with legs crossed and elbows propped behind him on the bench. And then his eyes found Singh’s.  
“Captain…”  
“Should have told me Allen.”  
“But I almost never seize, it wasn’t a liability and-”  
“Not what I was talking about.”  
It was then Barry’s eyes travelled to the heart monitor, bleeping and blipping impossibly fast.  
“Oh.”  
“Yeah, Allen, oh.” Singh turned to the rest of the room. “Is he stable?”  
“ M’ right here you know.”  
“I realise. Now,” he turned back to Snow. “Is he stable?”  
“Looks to be. He’s had seizures a few times since he became the Flash. He’s just like a normal epileptic, really, but we need stronger drugs to stop the seizures and there’s nothing we can do to control them.” She glared pointedly at Barry. “But he can usually feel when they’re coming on.”  
Barry had the decency to look ashamed.

Singh sighed. “Well, if he’s stable, can we have a minute.”  
“Sure.” It took only seconds for everyone else to clear out, and then, for the first time since Eddie had run from the lab, the two were alone.  
“I should fire you.”  
“I know.”  
“I should report you, probably arrest you.”  
The young CSI’s head shot up, fear in his eyes.   
“But I won’t.”  
“Huh?”  
“You do a lot for this city Allen. And, if you can promise me one thing, I will keep your secret, make sure Detective Thawne does, and maybe, just maybe, I will let your lateness slide every now and then.”  
Barry smiled. “What do I need to do?”  
“Take care of yourself. If you are feeling ill you will not come into work. And if you are injured, you will get help.”  
“That’s it?” HE asked, looking puzzled.  
“That’s it.”  
Barry’s smile lit the room, but Singh could see he was flagging. He stood.  
“I better let the troops back in before they think I’ve taken your head. You need some rest Allen.”  
The kid smiled and sank back onto the gurney, eyes closing and confirming the exhaustion Singh knew was present. He headed towards the door, waved the others back in.   
He looked over his shoulder.   
“Sleep well Allen.”

The dynamic at the precinct remained largely unchanged when Barry returned two days later. The officer’s that had witnessed his…unconventional departure all asked after his welfare but were quickly assured he was fine. And over the following months, not much changed.

But, if you were to enter the precinct on any given day, at about ten am, you would see a gangly CSI racing in only slightly faster than the average man. But there would be no yelling. Just a captain smiling, sipping coffee in his office, knowing that the city was that much safer because of the boy upstairs.   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnnd Fin. What did you think?  
> Thanks for coming!   
> Rose xx

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo? And does anyone want to hear the story of Singh finding Barry on 'that' night?  
> Let me know!


End file.
